10 Interesting Facts of Heritage Lukshmi Vilas Palace

6 years ago

Lukshmi Vilas Palace is in Vadodara,Gujarat, India.It was constructed by the Gaekwad, a Maratha family, who ruled the Baroda State. Lukshmi Vilas Palace was styled on the Indo-Saracenic Revival architecture, in 1890 it was built by Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III.The cost of that was GBP 180,000 (Rs.27,00,000 in 1890).
It is reputed to have been the largest private dwelling built till date. It is four times the size of Buckingham Palace.At the time of construction, it boasted the most modern utilities like elevators and the interior is similar of a large European country house.
It remains the residence of the Royal Family, who continue to be held in high esteem by the residents of Baroda.The Palace compound is of over 500 acres and houses a number of buildings.Which is particularly the LVP Banquets & Conventions, Moti Baug Palace and the Maharaja Fateh Singh Museum building.
In the 1930s Maharaja Pratapsinh created a golf course for use by his European guests. Pratapsinh’s grandson Samarjitsinh whos was a former Ranji trophy cricket player.He renovated the course and opened it to the public In the 1990s.

The construction of the palace was started in 1878 and it took 12 years for its completion.

This amazing palace was built in 1890 by Maharaja Sayaji Rao III.It was named after his third wife, Rani Laxmibai from Thanjore and is the official Royal residence of the Gaekwads of Baroda.

It was designed in Indo-Saracenic style by the architect Major Charles Mant. After his death it was completed by Robert Fellowes Chisholm. Major Charles Mant being a formalist, came to a end that his calculations were wrong and hung -himself assuming the palace would not last long.However the palace stands strong even after 125 years.

It is observed as one of the most expensive palaces built during the time of its completion with total cost of estimated £180,000.
The palace compound occupies a spacious 700 acres including Moti Baug palace and Maharaja Fatehsingh museum.The musuem which was a school built for Maharaja’s children.It is currently reveals beautiful paintings and collectables. Moti Baug Palace was the guest house for the British Architects which is now converted into a cricket stadium.

It houses 170 rooms and was built just for two people, the Maharaja and the Maharani.
A good mix of both local and foreign materials and workmanship was used in the construction of the palace.Red sand stone from Agra, blue trapstone from Poona and marbles of Rajasthan and Italy were used.While twelve workmen from Venice laid the beautiful mosaic floor of the Durbar Hall of the palace.
A small miniature railway line was constructed by the Maharaja to commute his children between the palace and the school.
It was built with all the modern facilities like elevators, western plumbing, electric bells, internal telephone systems.
The front façade of the palace is designed in an eclectic architectural style mixing Moghul, Jain, Rajput, Marathi, Gujarati as well as Gothic and Venetian designs harmoniously.

The collection of Maharaja Fatesingh Museum Trust is in the school building located in the Lukshmi Villas Palace compound. It is known as the Motibaug School built in 1875 for Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III.
Maharaja Pratapsinghrao Gaekwad and later Maharaja Fatesinghrao Gaekwad, the founder of the trust. And also members of the royal family including Maharaja Ranjitsinh Gaekwad completed their schooling here.
The museum was opened to the public in April, 1961 by Nawab Mehndi Nawaz Jung. He was then governor of Gujarat.The museum collection made of objects d’arts collected by the Gaekwads of Baroda.
After redesigning the existing school building to house the art treasures.
Lukshmi Villas gardens add greatly to the quiet atmosphere of the museum.
Today museums all over the world are active in organizing such types of exhibition to attract visitors.
It has recently (May 8th 2015) inaugurated a headgear gallery where vibrant headgear’s from Gujarat, Rajasthan and Maharashtra collected by Maharaja Ranjitsinh Gaekwad are displayed. This makes the Museum one of the very few Museums in the country to have a gallery dedicated to headgear’s.
MUSEUM TIMINGS– 10:30 am to 05:30 pm